Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth (異国迷路のクロワーゼ)

19th Century

Paris

"Galerie du Roy" The King's Gallery

Episode 01 :

" Entry "

"Enseignes du Roy" The King's Signs

THE LITTLE BEES

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Paris. The end of the 19th century.

Beneath the glass ceiling of the Galerie du Roy,

One can see the thin silhouette of a Japanese girl named Yune.

For now, only a few Parisians know of her arrival.

Episode 02 :

" Cheese "

How's your grandpa?

He's doing much better than before!

That's good to hear.

Yune.

Yes!

Isn't this country very different from your own?

A shopping district like this is called a Galerie in France.

Galerie...

Do you want another?

Sorry, I-

Grandpa!

You're always so aloof.

You'll lose customers if you keep that up.

The purchase in Japan was a success.

These are some of the spoils from the war.

That's great and all, but what is that...

Is that Japonaise part of the spoils, too?

Yune here was sent to be a live-in maid by her family.

She said she wanted to work in Paris, so I brought her here.

What?!

She bent her hip!

This is called a bow.

Grandpa, I don't mind some souvenirs, since they can be profitable,

but you can't forget that we're a metal crafts store, Enseignes du Roy !

Don't worry. We also make signs.

Metal craft for lights in Japan is very interesting.

These Chochin function as signs.

That's not what I mean.

I meant that a sign store doesn't need a Japonaise,

and we don't even have enough time or money to keep a maid.

Don't worry. Yune eats like a bird.

She was also the most popular sign in Nagasaki.

Employees who are adept at calling in customers are called Sign Girls in Japan.

Claude is the owner of this store, Yune.

Say hello.

Okay!

My name is Yune, Master.

Wha-

Are you some kind of pervert, Grandpa?!

It's wrong to make her do such a slave-like pose!

No, Claude! That's a normal Japanese greeting!

It's a very versatile pose that can be used as an apology or for giving thanks!

No!

I'm disappointed that you cannot appreciate the wonders of Japan.

This man is inherently cranky, Yune.

Don't worry too much about him.

All right.

Don't teach her strange things!

Don't worry. The only French she knows is how to introduce herself.

Does that mean Yune is responding without knowing what you're saying?

She is very good at understanding the atmosphere.

She'll nod to just about anything.

How can you be fine with that?

You don't understand the language,

you blindly serve the people,

and you can't even share your own thoughts.

I wouldn't be able to deal with that.

I really can't understand Yune and her people.

Claude...

Yune can't understand anything I'm saying, right?

This is going to be your room from now on.

Use it any way you want.

Okay.

I know! I'll give you something nice.

Oscar-sama! Are you a magician?

A magician?

I'm surprised you knew that word.

Keep this a secret.

Take a seat, Yune.

This is my precious workshop.

Don't interrupt my work.

Yes, Claude-sama.

What?

It's so pretty.

It's a butterfly!

Don't touch it.

I just finished repairing it.

This is the last thing my father ever made.

Did you see the sign at the entrance of the Galerie?

That was made upon request by my father and grandpa, who used to be blacksmiths.

This store has been here ever since that sign was put at the front of the Galerie,

along with the secondhand clothing shop next door,

and even the printer next to that.

All of the signs in the Galerie were made by the three generations of blacksmiths.

They're proof of our finesse, and we're very proud of them.

There used to be a big atelier nearby, and they used to do a lot of work for the Galerie as well,

including lights, chandeliers, and facades.

Well, my father is dead now and my grandpa can't work anymore.

Not to mention Galerie du Roy is having financial difficulties.

This is a very important time for us.

Our fifty-year legacy is contained here.

I need to keep this store going, even if I have to do it alone.

I guess you wouldn't understand that, though.

Yune!

The workshop and the store are both spotless!

Isn't she a very hard worker?

Well, since she's a Sign Girl,

you should go up to the front of the store...

I know! Remember that beautiful kimono that you showed me?

You should wear it and hold a Chochin and-

Grandpa.

Oh? I thought she was a doll.

How rare.

Is she a Japonaise?

No wonder she looks like a doll!

Uh- Um...

She's no doll.

Now, please get out.

R-Right.

See?

Sign Girls are very effective.

By the way, you're still awful at sales.

That man would've probably bought some souvenirs from Japan.

Don't touch it!

You'll just get hurt.

I am deeply sorry!

You should really just go back to Japan as soon as you can.

I don't blame you, but you just couldn't be our sign,

just like how those long sleeves serve no purpose in France.

I am deeply sorry.

Claude...

I know.

I don't know enough about Yune.

But Yune doesn't know enough about this place, either.

Doesn't it smell wonderful?

Which one do you want?

Oh, my!

Let's have dinner, Yune.

Will the sign be okay?

Don't worry. Claude may be rude, but he's very skilled.

Help yourself, Yune.

Yune.

Y-Yes?

You don't need to do that.

The sign is fixed now.

Will it be like it used to?

I'll apologize to the custo-

No,

apologies can't fix everything.